Munster 16 Toulouse 13: As if any proof were needed, Munster confirmed their position at the head of European rugby's top table with an epic win over fellow aristocrats Toulouse.
The side that Declan built gave the outgoing coach a fitting send-off, securing a second European title in a nail-biting encounter with the French side.
Denis Leamy scored their solitary try, while fly-half Ronan O'Gara kicked 11 points from three penalties and a conversion.
Toulouse, Heineken Cup winners in 1996, 2003 and 2005, conjured a try for wing Yves Donguy, with Jean Baptiste-Elissalde adding a drop-goal, penalty and conversion.
Munster though, were too streetwise when pressure really came on, closing down the game in impressive fashion.
Skipper Paul O'Connell and flanker Alan Quinlan were at the heart of Munster's effort, ensuring they will arrive in next season's tournament as top seeds and once again the team to beat.
It also proved a rich reward for emerging from the so-called pool of death, after Munster finished above Wasps, Clermont Auvergne and Llanelli Scarlets.
European campaigns don't come much tougher, but then again there are few if any tougher teams in world rugby than Munster.
The French giants dominated the opening quarter and took a deserved early 3-0 lead from Elissalde's drop goal.
It was hard graft for Munster during the early exchanges, but they gradually grew into the contest through their forwards' collective effort.
Leamy went agonisingly close 10 minutes before the break, but video referee Derek Bevan ruled he lost control of possession as he went for the touchdown.
It was a narrow escape for the French side, yet it proved only a temporary reprieve as Leamy touched down after 33 minutes, with O'Gara adding the conversion.
Toulouse were rocked by the score, and they lacked sufficient composure to close out a tense first half, a fact underlined when O'Gara booted a penalty to make it 10-3.
Elissalde reduced the gap through a penalty, yet Munster had momentum at the break, leading by four points.
And Toulouse only had themselves to blame for falling further behind, courtesy of another O'Gara penalty. Toulouse captain Fabien Pelous was sin-binned by referee Nigel Owens - on the advice of touch judge Nigel Whitehouse - for stamping, and O'Gara's resulting strike made it 13-6.
Toulouse's early promise was in danger of evaporating, and they needed to regroup. Inevitably, they did it in style.
Full-back Cedric Heymans had the courage to kick and chase from deep, and his vision was rewarded against a disorganised Munster defence, with Donguy rounding off an opportunist attack.
Elissalde's successful conversion tied the game at 13-13, giving Munster an emphatic reminder that the trophy was still to be won.
The seven-pointer arrived with Pelous off the field, illustrating terrific Toulouse character under pressure and leaving Munster to recover from a blow they scarcely could have expected.
O'Gara hoisted Munster ahead through a 64th minute penalty awarded against Pelous, and there was no sign of the final's attritional nature being disrupted.
Toulouse knew they were up against it as the clock ticked down, and there was nothing they could do to burst Munster's bubble. Munster finished the contest in territorial control, ending Toulouse's hopes by staying in charge and confirming their place as European top dogs.
Munster: 15-Denis Hurley, 14-Doug Howlett, 13-Lifeimi Mafi, 12-Rua Tipoki, 11-Ian Dowling, 10-Ronan O'Gara, 9-Tomas O'Leary; 8-Denis Leamy, 7-David Wallace, 6-Alan Quinlan, 5-Paul O'Connell (captain) (18-Mick O'Driscoll 58-60 blood sub), 4-Donncha O'Callaghan, 3-John Hayes, 2-Jerry Flannery, 1-Marcus Horan (17-Tony Buckley 63).
Toulouse: 15-Cedric Heymans 14-Maxime Medard, 13-Maleli Kunavore, 12-Yannick Jauzion, 11-Yves Donguy (21-Manu Ahotaeiloa 72), 10-Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, 9-Byron Kelleher; 8-Shaun Sowerby, 7-Thierry Dusautoir (19-Yannick Nyanga 39), 6-Jean Bouilhou, 5-Patricio Albacete (18-Romain Millo-Chluski 62), 4-Fabien Pelous (captain), 3-Salvatore Perugini (17-Jean-Baptiste Poux 55), 2-William Servat, 1-Daan Human.
